Clean water is more important than mining jobs

A mine cannot operate unless the metals can be sold at a reasonable profit. The cost of mining must be less than the value of the metals being mined. It may be necessary sometimes to sacrifice environmental safety so that mining can happen.
Mining, as done in many parts of the world, does damage the environment, especially groundwater and surface water. If mining in Maine is to compete with this, we probably will have to allow contamination of water as well.
I have heard expert testimony that the mining standards proposed for Maine will result in water contamination problems for many decades. Humans or other creatures should not consume this contaminated water because it will make them sick or could even kill them. Too often, however, this happens.
http://www.kjonline.com/opinion/letters/Clean_water_is_more_important_than_mining_jobs.html